Whipworm Infection
Whipworm infection (trichuriasis) is an intestinal infection caused by the roundworm Trichuris trichiura.
Trichuriasis is a very common disorder, occurring mainly in the subtropics and tropics, where poor sanitation and a warm, moist climate provide the conditions needed for Trichuris eggs to incubate in the soil.
People acquire the parasite by swallowing food that contains eggs that have incubated in the soil. The larvae hatch in the small intestine, migrate to the large intestine, and embed their heads in the intestinal lining. Each larva grows into a worm that is about 4½ inches long. Eggs are passed in the stool.
Symptoms and Diagnosis
Symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhea occur when a large number of worms are present in the colon. People with an extremely large number of worms may have chronic diarrhea, weight loss, bleeding from the intestine, and anemia. Occasionally, the rectum may protrude through the anus (rectal prolapse), especially in heavily infected children.
A doctor bases a diagnosis of trichuriasis on seeing the typical barrel-shaped eggs in stool samples examined under a microscope or occasionally by observing adult worms during a colonoscopy.
Prevention and Treatment
Prevention depends on using sanitary toilet facilities, maintaining good personal hygiene, and avoiding unwashed vegetables. Albendazole or mebendazole are effective but cannot be used in pregnant women because of harmful effects on the fetus.
 See the table Other Parasites.
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